Stencil addressing machine



Jan.4, 1944. H, T 2,338,170

STENCIL ADDRESS ING MACHINE Filed Feb. 1, 1941 Sheets-Sheet 1 -3Sheets-Shet I ATT NEY H. P. ELLIOTT STENCIL ADDRESSING MACHINE FiledFeb. 1

Jan. 4,

ZEN

STENCIL ADDRESSING MACHINE Filed F'eb 1, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 PatentedJan. 4, 1944 Ubli'l.

STENCIL ADDRESSING MACHINE Application February 1, 1941, Serial No.377,015

Claims.

The present invention relates generally to printing machines and moreparticularly to addressing machines of the portable, hand-operated type,suitable for use on a desk or table.

The object of the invention 'is to produce an efiicient machine ofsimple, sturdy construction, that can be manufactured at low cost tomeet small business needs. Y

An important feature of the invention that contributes largely insimplifying the construction, in reducing the cost of manufacture, andin adapting the machine for table or desk use, is the utilization of thebed-plate of the machine as a platen with which the printingrollerco-operates. This feature avoids the use of the usual reciprocatingplaten and mechanism beneath the bed-plate for imparting motion to thesame, which, in addition to the cost, would raise the bed-plate so highabove the desk or table upon which the machine is'suppo-rted, as to makeit top-heavy and awkward to operate and would materially increase theover-all dimensions of the machine, which would be objectionable for anumber of obvious reasons.

A second feature of importance is an ink roller that is normally free tobe rotatedby hand, enabling a fresh supply .ofink to be applied andevenly distributed thereon whenever needed, while the machine is at restand without disengaging or removing any part or parts.

Other structural. features of merit will be pointed out in thedetaildescription that follows.

A machine suitable for carrying my invention into efiect, is illustratedin the accompanying drawings but I do not wish to be understood asintending to limit myself to the same, as various changes may be made inboth th form and details, without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention, as outlined in the appended claims.

Inthe drawings--- Fig. 1 is a side eleva ion of the machine as itappears when not in operation, the hand-operating lever being shown, indotted lines, detached and positioned to reduce the over-all dimensionsof the machine for shipping purposes. I

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the machine performing a printingoperation, the cover or shield of the ink roller being shown, in dottedlines, swung back from its normal position to expose the roller. 1

Fig. 3. is a plan view of the machine, with the hand-operated lever cutoff above its pivotal bearings, for clearness of illustration.

Fig. 4 is a front view, partly insection, toashow strips 1,

the relation between the address stencil or other printing device andthe bed-plate of i the machine in its use as a platen, the cover of theink roller being shown swung back to expose the roller.

Fig. 5 is a vertical longitudinal section, on the line s s of Fig. 3,again showing the cover of the ink roller swung back, as in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a detail view, on an enlarged scale, of the ratchet device forrotating the ink roller, the same being shown positioned as it appearsin Fig. 1, when the machine is not in operation, and

Fig. 7 is a similar view of the same, as it appears in Fig. 2, whenthe-machine is performing a printing operation.

Referring now to the drawings, the machine shown is a portable type,designed for use on a table, desk or the like, to be moved about atwill, being sufficiently heavy to maintain itself in any position it maybe placed without being otherwise secured. e

The mechanism is mounted on a base or bedplate l, which may be cast,stamped out or otherwise formed. It is preferably hollowed out on theunderside to lighten it and provided with a number ofsuitably'positioned rubber feet, 2 to protect the surface of a desk ortable on which the machine is placed and hold it against moving aboutwhen being operated.

Removably secured to 3, there are twin side frames 4, 4, which extendupwardly and forwardly, for a purpose to be described, and near theirlower endsprovide support for a cross rod 5 on which a card stenciltrack 6,- ispivoted.

The track 6 extends transversely across the front of the machine and ismade up of parallel l, spaced apart to provide passage between them forcard stencils or other printing devices 3 which enter and are supportedand guided, in theusualmanner, in track grooves 9, 9, formed in theopposing edges of the strips.

A rectangular sheet metal frame lll is attached to and connects thetrack strips in definite spaced relation, being secured to the same byscrews I I. Rearward extensions l2, it of theframe are bent up at theends is to encircle the cross rod 5 and proidde a pivotal mounting forthe track. The movement of the track about the pivot is at right anglesto its length and when depressed to the limit of such movement, thetrack rests solidly upon the bedplate, as will be more fully hereinafter explained.

Secured at or near the left hand end of the track, as viewed in Figs. 3and .4, there is a magazine i l, suitable for containing a stackoi cardthe bed-plate by screws I stencils or other printing devices, indicatedat I5, which are fed downward through the magazine to the track in theusual manner, by a weight IS on the top of the stack. To enable thestencils in the magazine to enter the track grooves, the upper edge ofthe grooves are cut away at the left hand end of the track, as indicatedat I! in Fig. 4, leaving only the lower edges Il I! on that portion ofthe track that extends under the magazine, as a support for the stencilsand on which the lowermost stencil in the stack rests.

The stencils are fed one at a time from the bottom of the stack into thetrack grooves, by a hand-operated pusher or slide device l8, which ismounted on the front strip of the track at the left hand end thereof, asshown in Figs. 3 and 4. A knob or projection I9 is provided to begrasped between the thumb and finger for conveniently reciprocating thedevice. The movement of the slide I8 is limited by a pin Mi working in aslot 2| of the front track strip. A rearward extension of the slide, asviewed in Fig. 3, terminates centrally of the track in a bevelledprojection 22, which is shouldered for edge engagement, on the forwardstroke of the slide, with the left hand end of each stencil as it comesto the bottom of the stack, to move the same forward in the track, thebevel permitting the projection 22 to ride under the next bottomstencil, on the back stroke of the slide.

On each forward stroke of the slide, a stencil is advanced from themagazine to printing position, in which its stencilized panel registerswith the opening 23 in the rectangular frame I of the stencil track. Theprinting operation, hereinafter described, then follows and as the nextstencil from the magazine is advanced to printing position, it pushesthe stencil ahead of it, from which an impression has been printed,forward in the track. As this operation is continued, the stencils areejected from the end of the track opposite the magazine and therecollected and returned to their storage files.

Fulcrumed to rock on the cross rod 5, on which the stencil track ispivoted, there is a frame 24, the side members of which extend forwardto provide bearings for the shaft of a printing roller 26, of rubber orother suitable material. The printing roller is yieldingly held normallyelevated by springs E l 24 connecting the rocker frame 24 and the fixedside frames 4, 4. The shaft 25 is fitted in the bearings to permit itsready withdrawal to remove the printing roller when necessary, beingsplit at one end 21 for slight expansion, to yieldingly hold it inposition and knurled at the opposite end 28 to provide a thumb andfinger grip for its withdrawal.

Mounted as above described, the printing roller is positioned above andin line with the opening 23 in the rectangular frame ll! of the stenciltrack. As the carrying frame of the roller is rocked in the printingoperation, the stencil track, with its attached magazine and feed slide,swings down by its own weight but under the control of the frame, andcomes to rest upon the bed-plate. The printing roller then enters theopening 23 in the frame 56 and moves into contacting relation with thepanel of a stencil that has been advanced in the track to printingposition, exerting sufficient pressure upon the same and the trackcarrying the stencil, to securely clamp a post card, envelope or otherimpressionreceiving sheet, inserted between the track and the bed-plate,in position and against shifting. The actual printing is then effectedby increased pressure upon the printing roller, exerted by its carryingframe in its final movement, which compresses the roller in the frameopening as best shown in Fig. 2, and spreads and flattens it over theentire exposed surface area of the stencil panel, thereby insuring aperfect impression of all matter stencilled thereon.

As the carrying frame of the printing roller is rocked in the oppositedirection, the roller is lifted clear of the stencil track before thelatter moves upward to release the printed sheet. Upward return movementof the track to normal position is effected by the carrying frame of theprinting roller through a connection shown in Fig. 5. This connectionconsists of an inverted L-shaped projection 29 from one of the rearwardextensions l2 of the frame ll! of the track, which normally engages alug 30 of the roller-carrying frame, the arrangement being such that theengagement continues during the first part only of the downward movementof the printing roller or until the track comes to rest on thebed-plate, when disengagement is brought about by continued downwardmovement of the roller and its frame. Until disengagement occurs, thetrack and roller frame move downward together, the former controlled bythe latter. On the upward movement, the parts do not re-engage to liftthe track from the bed-plate until the printing roller and its framehave nearly resumed their normal position.

Motion is imparted to rock the carrying frame of the printing roller bya hand-operated cam lever 3|, the yoked rear end of which is pivoted tothe frame at 32 and provided below the pivot with forwardly extendingtwin cam-like extensions 33, 33, each having a terminal roller 34 ridingon a slightly raised track section on the surface of the bed-plate. Endstop lugs 35, 35 on the bed-plate cooperating with the rollers 34, 34,limit downward motion of the lever, as shown in Fig. 2, and nuts 36, 36on the inner ends of the roller shafts 31, 37 co-operate as stops withthe printing roll-carrying frame, as shown in Fig. 5, to limit upwardmovement of the lever. The rod 32 on which the lever pivots, isremovable to release the lever, being provided with a projecting knurledend 38 to enable it to be conveniently withdrawn by hand. When released,the lever may be positioned as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, toreduce the over-all dimensions of the machine for shipping purposes.

Associated in continuous contact relation with the printing roller 26,there is an ink roller 39 of felt or other suitable material. The inkroller is mounted fast on a shaft 40, journaled in terminal bearings ofarms 4|, 4|, ivoted at 42, to opposite sides of the carrying frame ofthe printing roller. Springs 43, 43, connecting the free ends of thearms 4|, 4| with the carrying frame, yieldingly maintain the rollers 26and 39 in conact.

The ink roller is given step-by-step rotation, in the operation of themachine, to progressively apply ink to the surface of the printingroller. As arranged, the ink roller is rotated through a partialrevolution after each printing operation and being spring-held incontact relation with the printing roller, imparts its rotary motion tothe latter, causing it to present a freshly inked surface for eachimpression.

Rotation is imparted to of a pawl and ratchet which, normally or whenthe machine is not in operation, as shown in Figs. 1 and 6, permittingthe roller the ink roller by means are disengaged,

as shown in Figs. 2, 4 and 5, to expose and make it convenientlyaccessible.

In mounting the ratchet and pawl, the ratchet wheel 41 is made fast onthe ink roller shaft 40 to rotate with it, and the pawl 48 of themultiratchet tooth type, is pivoted at 49, to the adjoin- .il'lg sideframe 4, being held by a spring 50 and stop 5|, to yield in onedirection only to permit the ratchet wheel to pass, without beingrotated, as it is carried downward in the printing operation to theposition shown in Figs. 2 and '7. In this position, the pawl engages theratchet and as the rollers 26 and 39 are carried upward by the reversemovement of the rocker frame, the ratchet wheel, riding in engagementwith the teeth of the pawl, will be rotated and impart such rotation tothe ink roller and the printing roller in contact therewith. As theratchet wheel approaches the upper limit of its movement, its arc oftravel is such that the wheel is carried clear of the pawl and completedisengagement occurs, as shown in Figs. 1 and 6. I I

As will be apparent from the foregoing, paper sheets to receive printedimpressions, such as post cards, envelopes or the like, are inserted oneat a time between the bed-plate and the printing roller and as apositive guide in positioning the same, a stop gauge 52 is provided inthe rear of the printing roll, which is adjustable by means of a setscrew 53, to position the impression on the paper as desired.

While the machine, as above described, is designed for the use of cardstencils of well known form and construction,-it will erve equally wellwith other available forms of printing devices, which may be used, ifpreferred.

Among the many important advantages of the invention, as hereinembodied, may be mentioned its effectiveness in operation and low costof manufacture, its simple and sturdy construction insuring long lifeand economy in maintenance and its readily accessible and removableparts facilitating examination, adjustment and repair.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. In a printing machine, a platen, a, pivotally mounted track rigidlyconnected with a magazine having means for feeding printing device fromthe magazine and successively advancing them in the track, the saidtrack being movable about its pivot to position each printing deviceadvanced therein in operative relation to the platen, and a printingroller adapted to cooperate with successive printing devices advanced inthe track.

2. A printingmachine, as defined in claim 1,

in which the track is movable about an axis paral- A lel with the lengthof the track through a shorter are than is traveled by the printingroller in cooperating with the printing devices.

3. A printing machine, as defined in claim 1,

in which the printing roller and the trackare mounted to have movementabout a common axis the roller moving through a greater number ofdegrees than the track.

4. A printing machine, as defined in-claim 1, in which the printingroller is carried by a frame, fulcrumed upon the track pivot and limitedto movement about the same. v

'5. A printing machine, as defined in claim 1,

, in which the printing roller is carried. by a frame,

fulcrumed upon the track pivot and limited to movement about the sameand a hand-operated lever is employed to rock the frame to move theroller into and out of printing position.

6.. A printing machine, as defined in claim 1,

in which the printing roller is carried by a frame fulcrumed upon thetrack pivot and a connection is provided between the frame and the trackby which the track is raised by the frame and lowered by gravity.

7. A printing machine, as defined in claim 1, in which the printingroller is mounted on a rocker frame fulcrumed upon the track pivot, thesaid frame being rocked bya hand-operated cam lever to move the printingroller into and out of printing position, and a connection is providedbetween the frame and the trackby which the track is moved out ofprinting position by the frame and into printing position by its ownweight under the control of the frame.

8. A printing machine, as defined in claim 1, in which the printingdevices are entered, and advanced in end to end relation in the guides.

9. A printing machine, as defined in claim 1, in which the guides, theprinting devices therein and the printing roller are disposed inparallel lengthwise relation to each other.

10. In a stencil printing machine, the following elements normallypositioned in close relation one above the other in the order named: aplaten formed by the bed-plate of the machine providing support for asheet to receive a printed impression, a guide track carrying asuccession of printing devices, the said track being provided with amagazine rigidly connected to the track, having means for feedingprinting devices from the magazine and successively advancing them inthe track and a cooperating printing roller, and means including ahand-operated cam lever connected to impart relative movement to theabove named elements to effect a printing operation.

HARMON P. ELLIOTT.

